243. Days of Training

≪Experience points acquired.≫

≪Proficiency has reached a certain level.≫

≪Skill ‘Swordsmanship’ has risen from LV8 to 9.≫

≪Proficiency has reached a certain level.≫

≪Skill ‘Fortitude’ has risen from LV6 to 7.≫

≪Proficiency has reached a certain level.≫

≪Skill ‘Riding’ has risen from LV4 to 5.≫

The announcements echoed in my head.

Listening to them, I collapsed onto the ground.

“It’s overrr! Ahh, I’m exhausted…”

Looking up at the sky, a large shadow descended along with the dazzling sunlight.

『Hmph, how weak. To be this tired after a mere three hours of flight.』

“Don’t be unreasonable. That’s three hours at your flight speed after evolving into an Ancient Dragon, you know? It’s like clinging to a jet plane for a flight from Tokyo to Okinawa. It’s less like training and more like torture.”

『I don’t quite understand that comparison…』

Well, even if I tell Sora place names like Tokyo or Okinawa, he wouldn’t know them.

More importantly, the problem is—

“Ugh… bleghhhhhhhhh. Ogeh… ugh, ah… ngogagigiiiii…”

『H-Hey, is this one alright?』

“I-Ichinose-san? Are you okay? Can you speak?”

“It’s impossible. I’m dying. I’m definitely going to die, for sure…”

Next to me, Ichinose-san was vomiting magnificently.

It’s not just vomit; tears and snot are coming out in force. Toward the end, she was making sounds where you couldn’t tell if she was throwing up or screaming.

『Aaaaaaaa…?』

Then, Libera-san’s summon—Mr. Odin—who we were fighting just a moment ago, patted Ichinose-san on the back. He then produced a handkerchief-like object from somewhere and wiped her face, finally making Ichinose-san look presentable again.

“Th-thank you, Mr. Odin.”

“Auoooo…♪”

He’s probably saying “don’t worry about it.”

Somehow, this Odin seems to have a bit of a sense of self, unlike the other summons.

He looks like a one-eyed, macho middle-aged guy, but his personality is very much a gentleman. He’s especially kind to Ichinose-san and Igarashi-san. But he’s harsh to me. Why? He throws stones at me, you know? Why?

“Ugh… my ‘Motion Sickness Resistance’ level shot up from 2 to 6 in one go, hehehe.”

“I-I see…”

“And ‘Long-range Sniping’ rose from 5 to 7. Honestly, this is hellish training for me, but it’s effective in proportion.”

“…Yeah.”

What we were doing just now was flight training with Sora.

While riding Sora, we engage in aerial combat with Libera-san’s summons to raise our experience and skill levels.

Our actual levels aren’t rising at all, but our skill levels are going up.

The unusual training probably impacts skill proficiency that much more.

『As for me, I have no problem continuing to fly for another half day?』

“Don’t be ridiculous…”

Lately, Sora has become able to use Telepathy quite fluently.

Thanks to that, it’s easy to understand him, and conversations flow more smoothly than before.

“But is it really okay not to go out and hunt monsters?”

“Well, at this point, defeating a goblin or two doesn’t mean much…”

Lately, we’ve only been facing Libera-san’s summons and haven’t engaged in monster combat at all.

Currently, the ones mainly hunting monsters in the Safe Zone are Fujita-san and Nijo’s group.

They are the members who just evolved recently.

They are the core force handling the mopping up of surrounding monsters.

However, ever since the named snake and spider were defeated, strong monsters have mostly disappeared from this area, so it’s essentially just mob-hunting.

“Libera-san said she’d be starting a new training method soon, but I wonder what it’ll be?”

“Honestly, I don’t want to imagine it. Ugh…”

Even the training just now was hell.

Just imagining the future training has Ichinose-san feeling groggy already.

By the way, Mr. Odin is stretching using his spear. You’re pretty free-spirited, aren’t you?

(But it really is concerning that my level isn’t rising at all…)

It’s been over two weeks since I evolved into a Demi-God, but my level hasn’t moved.

The experience earned from fighting Libera-san and the summons must be decreasing.

…Well, Ichinose-san isn’t raising her level for a different reason than mine.

“…At this rate, can we really win against the otherworlders?”

“…”

I couldn’t say anything to Ichinose-san’s murmur.

According to Libera-san, the strength of the Vanguard is such that three of the current me would finally be a match for one of them.

And there are ten of them. It’s an overwhelming difference in combat power.

Even though Schwarz and the Sea King are lending their strength, Libera-san said the other side’s overall power is still higher.

There are only a few months left until the Vanguard arrives; will we really be okay…?

“…”

I looked at my own palm.

After the battle with Arrogance, I was given “Administrator Privileges” by that mysterious white girl in the place called the Chaos Frontier System Server.

According to her, it’s a cheat-like power capable of any intervention, tampering, or overwriting of events derived from the system.

However, it can only be activated once.

It’s said that a single activation will cause massive damage to my body and mind, and a second time would surely kill me. Conversely, it means I could activate it twice if I didn’t care about dying, but… well, I don’t want to die, so I definitely won’t do that.

(If I use this power, could I prevent further intervention from the Vanguard and the other world?)

I might even be able to make this battle vanish entirely.

But… I don’t know. I have no evidence, but I feel like “now” isn’t the time to use it.

It’s not that I’m being stingy; I feel like a time will definitely come when I must rely on this power.

Since my hunches tend to be oddly accurate in these situations, I’ll follow my intuition.

“Kudo-san, why are you staring so hard at your hand? Are you worried about your lifeline?”

“No, that’s not it. More importantly, Libera-san should be arriving soon.”

“Ah, true. Ugh… I wonder what she’ll make us do next.”

After instructing us on the flight training with Sora, Libera-san immediately went to train the other members. Given her position, it’s unavoidable, but she’s been looking really busy lately.

“Well, there’s no doubt it’ll be hellish training.”

“Right…”

“Uoooo…”

Ichinose-san and, by extension, Mr. Odin both nodded.

A short while later, Libera-san finally arrived.

Rikka-chan and Igarashi-san were behind her.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“No, it’s fine, but…”

I glanced at the two standing behind her.

“Ah, I thought I’d have these two join the training this time. Their combat power is second only to you and Natsu.”

“So, looking forward to it, Big Brother, Nat-tsun!”

“I look forward to working with you, Kazuto-san, Ichinose-san.”

After exchanging brief greetings, Libera-san looked over everyone.

“Well, now that introductions are out of the way, let’s head out immediately.”

“Head out? Are we going somewhere?”

“Yes. Here, a change of clothes. I have enough for everyone.”

I looked at what Libera-san handed me.

This is… a swimsuit?

Looking behind me, Ichinose-san and the others were also handed swimsuits.

“Does this mean…?”

“Yes.”

Libera-san gave a firm nod.

“We’re going to the sea!♪”

…I had nothing but a bad feeling about this.

Swimsuits handed out:

• Kazuto: Loose spats

• Ichinose: Tankini

• Rikka: Halter-neck bikini

• Touka: Just strings

End of 243